'Truth spoken without moderation reverses itself'
This blog is a source for intellectual exploration. It includes a list of alternative resources and a source of free books. The placement of an article does not imply that I agree with it, merely that I found it thought-provoking. There are also poems and book reviews. Texts written by me are labelled. Readers are free to re-post anything they like.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Coimbatore: Rationalist murdered for his atheism - Farooq administered a WhatsApp group with rationalistic views who regularly debunk religion

A 30-year old realtor
surrendered to a Coimbatore judicial magistrate on Friday March 17 evening in connection
with the murder of a member of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam. Podanur Sriram
Nagar resident M Arshad claimed responsibility for the murder of the man known
for voicing rationalist opinions, reported The Hindu. H Farook, 31, was found dead near the
Coimbatore Corporation’s sewage farm on Thursday night.

The police told The Times of India that a gang of four people
had hacked Farook to death for his atheist views. “Farook’s anti-Muslim
sentiments had angered people. This may be a possible motive for murder,”
Coimbatore Deputy Commissioner of Police S Saravanan told the daily. The incident took
place around 11 pm on Thursday when Farook had received a phone call and left
his home on his two-wheeler. The gang then waylaid him and attempted to stab
him, reported The New Indian Express. When Farook tried to escape,
the men caught him and stabbed him in his stomach. Farook had deep cuts on his
neck also.

A scrap iron merchant
from Bilal Estate in south Ukkadam, Farook was known for the rationalist
opinions that he voiced on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook.
The police are now going through his social media posts. City Police
Commissioner A Amalraj has formed a special team including Inspectors Rajesh,
Jothi, Sri Ramachandran and Deivendran to invesigate the murder.

Dravidar Viduthalai
Kazhagam leader Kolathur TS Mani, Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam leader Ku
Ramakrishnan and a few others paid homage to Farook. He is survived by his wife
and two children.

Tamil Nadu youth killed for being an atheist, father says he too will become one

Speaking to The Indian Express, 54-year-old R Hameed said, “If the police version is true, that he was murdered by a radical Muslim group, then they killed my son using wrong interpretations of the Quran. The Quran insists on and allows the right of dissent since the time of the Prophet. If they killed him for being an atheist, I have decided to join his organisation and do what he did.” Fighting back tears, Hameed said, “For my son, I was always his best friend. Even when he refused to attend the wedding of a close relative to avoid taking part in the religious rituals, I did not insist.”